The Next Michael Jordan (!)

At 17, Harrison Barnes might not yet be a household name. But he’s determined to become one.

Here’s a funny story demonstrating his precocity:

Days earlier, when he announced where he would attend college, the nation’s top high school basketball player deftly fielded all manner of probing questions from a gymnasium full of reporters.

This one seemed like a layup. How tall are you? “I’m 6-8 with shoes on,” Harrison Barnes said. Across the living room his mother, Shirley Barnes, squirmed. “What? You’re going to list your real height this year?” she asked. “Of course,” Barnes said. “I thought you were still playing the 6-6 game.”